


German-only posts – why?

by Stag_Stopa



Category: Real Person Fiction
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:20:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24424921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stag_Stopa/pseuds/Stag_Stopa
Summary: A short explanation why all my works (excluding this little thing) will be posted in German.
Comments: 1





	German-only posts – why?

In short: I think you say and write things in another language differently than you would in your native tongue. Thus the possibility exists to get sidetracked by that. Take me for example – I really really do like to use German terms that are not quite that usual in daily talk and to implement not so common (because advanced) grammar. Sometimes I even like to tease the audience (or putting them off) by including some iconic and exclusive east-german snippets from home (a small village in the Brandenburg district). There are pretty elegant ways to elaborate and express your thoughts but as I said: I believe things do turn out differently (if only slightly) when translated. I would always feel bad when looking at the outcome and I probably would think to myself: "You could have done so much better if only your language skill wasn‘t that poor!" or: "In German this sentence or that saying would have been pretty catching or funny or that much more expressive than in English!". My brain and my fantasy build my thoughts and thus my stories always in German so there has to be some kind of "loss" when translated. And if I simply try to think and write in English from the start? Restrictive and undermining! That sounds pretty harsh but I know it would turn out that way for me – my ideas would really suffer and get a damper.  
The other way round: As much as I appreciate the German language and its endless possibilities – most English stories of my favorite fandoms here on AO3 touch me, inspire me and move me and there is absolutely NO WAY this could be accomplished on the same level if they were in German. Maybe you get what I mean. I also think that every language have some words or sayings that coud never be adequately translated. The now popular word "lockdown" is a good example of this or the sayings "To come full circle", "I have failed you", "My turn" … There are so many strong words with compressed meanings that I often catch myself thinking while watching movies or playing games: "Nah, you‘ve gotta watch or play this in English again!", or: "Oh dear – poor translator: This thing can‘t be synchronized AND turn out the same way.". Synchronization in general is an interesting topic! Now, this could be the best example of all: Think of some of your favourite characters – most have some kind of catch phrase or signature slogan and they all turn out quite differently when translated (just look out some youtube comparisons of "Pulp Fiction" in all languages or so!). The best German example in this divison are Rammstein lyrics – it‘s impossible for non-natives to get all meanings (even the "most simple and retarded" lines are sometimes containing as much as 3 different meanings at the same time and then get one or two additional ones because of the way Till pronounces them or the pictures of the music clip).  
To end this on a high note (please don‘t hate me – I don‘t mean any harm by the following and do not intend to insult anybody): You gotta keep the church in da village! "Man muss die Kirche im Dorf lassen" is a German idiom that means: remind yourself to not overdo your efforts or to get lost in pursuit of your goals!


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